Who We Are

The lab is staffed by graduate lab assistants and undergraduate empirical reasoning fellows dedicated to supporting empirical reasoning across the curriculum. We each staff walk-in hours for the lab. Go to our VISIT US page to see each of our skills and staffing hours so you can plan your visit accordingly!

Full-Time Team

Fatima Koli

Anna Carlson

Alisa Rod

David Weiman

Sarah Linden

ERC Fellow

Sarah Linden

ERC Fellow

SHANNON GALIOTTO

Shannon is a senior at Barnard College studying Computer Science and Economics. She enjoys learning about how data can be used to inform business decisions. On campus, Shannon is a Residential Advisor and board member of Columbia Data Science Society. She specializes in Excel, ArcGIS, LaTeX, and R.

HANNAH YOO

Hannah is a senior at Barnard College studying Mathematical Sciences and Economics. She is a Clare Boothe Luce Scholar and researches high frequency trading algorithms. She loves to use data to explain economic trends and to optimize processes in psychology. Hannah is available at the ERC as a TA for the course 'Programming Behavioral Sciences.' She specializes in Excel, MATLAB, R and Python. Outside of the ERC, Hannah is part of Columbia's Organization of Rising Entrepreneurs (CORE), loves going to New York Fashion Week shows and is always on hunt to find the best iced chai latte in New York City.

MIA LINDHEIMER

Mia is a senior at Barnard majoring in Economics. She's a huge fan of the power of data visualization, and is excited to work with Excel, Tableau, and GIS to help you make your best graphs. When she's not in the ERC, Mia is your SGA VP Policy and an editor for Bwog. She's looking forward to working on data with you!

RHEA NAGPAL

Rhea Nagpal is a senior majoring in Biology and Economics. She is particularly interested in data/statistical applications in the natural sciences. Outside of the classroom, Rhea is involved in Blockchain at Columbia and is the Senior Class President. She specializes in Excel, SPSS, R, and GIS

NENE EGBOSIMBA

Nene is a junior at Barnard majoring in Economics and Mathematical Sciences. She specializes in Excel but can offer help in ArcGIS. Nene is also a peer-to-peer tutor. In her free time, Nene is usually wandering the city, trying to find the best Ramen joint.

NIKHIL JAIN

Nikhil Jain is a senior in Columbia College majoring in Urban Studies with a specialization in Architecture. He works primarily with mapping tools (ArcGIS, QGIS, Carto), Excel, and Tableau to analyze and visualize datasets with a special interest in urban geospatial data. He spent his last summer at Columbia's Center for Spatial Research and applying geospatial analytics at the New York City Economic Development Corporation. Outside the ERC, he dances with Columbia Raas and volunteers with the senior citizens services organization, West Harlem Neighbors.

AMARA ENWEREJI

Amara Enwereji is a junior at Barnard studying Mathematics and Computer Science. Amara works with Excel, STATA, QGIS, MATLAB and can help a little with ArcGIS. She is also also a TA for the Programming for the Behavioural Sciences in MATLAB class in the spring. She is especially interested in data analytics for continuous improvement. On campus, Amara is a Corporate Chair for Columbia Women in Computer Science (CU WiCS) and a part of Smart Women Securities.

CELIA ARSEN

Celia is a junior at Barnard College majoring in information science. At the ERC, she specializes in Excel and GIS. You can also find her working as a fellow at the Barnard Writing Center. Celia is passionate about helping Barnard students improve their quantitative literacy and empirical writing skills.

ALYSSA CHOO

Alyssa is a Barnard College junior double majoring in English and History. She’s interested in how statistical data and geographic information systems can be paired with historical thinking. Her specialties are Excel and QGIS. Besides working in the ERC, she’s on the executive board of Smart Woman Securities and can often be found satisfying her cheesecake cravings at the Hungarian Pastry Shop.

YASMINE KAYA

Yasmine is senior at Barnard majoring in Economic & Mathematics with a minor in Physics. She works on Machine Learning applications in cancer research at the Columbia Data Science Institute as a Clare Booth Luce Scholar and advocates for a more accessible and interdisciplinary environment around data science and technology as the SGA IT Rep. She is happy to assist you in Excel, LaTeX, Python, R, or STATA!

MIRA TIGNOR

Mira is a junior at Barnard majoring in Economics and minoring in Philosophy. Mira first became interested in data analysis primarily as it relates to behavioral economics as well as social justice. She looks forward to working with her peers on data analysis skills that strengthen their critical thinking ability and confidence. Outside of the ERC Mira facilitates AllSex discussion groups and tutors with America Reads.

WINSOME CHING

Winsome Ching is a sophomore at Barnard College, who is majoring in Economics. She is working with Atrianne, Maymouna, and Fatima to develop a website for Mississippi project's maps, tables, and data. Outside of the Mississippi project, Winsome is a tutor for the STEP Program, student assistant at Barnard Recreation, and secretary for Skip Stop.

CASEY LIBONATE

Casey Libonate is a Ph.D student in the Department of Political Science at Columbia University. She specializes in american politics and methodology, with a minor in international relations. Her research focuses on environmental policy and american political development. Casey received a B.A from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016.

ANNA CARLSON

Anna Carlson (BC '18) is the Post-Bac Fellow in the Empirical Reasoning Center and Computational Science Center. At Barnard, Anna majored in Applied Mathematics and spent most of her time visualizing all kinds of quantitative and spatial data. She also worked as an undergraduate fellow in the ERC helping students use data to improve, interrogate, and learn from their work. She's excited to be back in the ERC and to be a part of the making of the CSC!

FATIMA KOLI

Fatima Koli (BC '17) is the Lab Coordinator for the Empirical Reasoning Center. She worked as a Graduate Fellow at the Center last year and as an Undergraduate fellow before that. She studied Computer Science and Urban/Economic Development during her time at Barnard and is currently getting her Masters in Data Science at Columbia. Her study interests lie in racial justice, particularly through the lens of the criminal justice system. She is passionate about thinking critically with data and maps and the ethics of data analysis. She loves teaching and is excited to continue developing the ERC and working with more professors and students!

ALISA ROD, PhD

Alisa holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her research focused on public opinion and environmental policy. While at UCSB, she also conducted research on student-faculty interaction in the context of political science education. Alisa has a B.A. in Bioethics from the American Jewish University. Prior to joining Barnard, Alisa worked as the survey methodologist at Ithaka S+R, a strategic consulting and research service that is part of ITHAKA, a not-for-profit organization that also includes JSTOR. At Ithaka S+R, Alisa managed large-scale survey projects of faculty members and students in the US and internationally.

DAVID WEIMAN

David Weiman is the Alena Wels Hirschorn '58 Professor of Economics and Faculty Director of the Empirical Reasoning Center. Weiman has been a member of the Barnard faculty since 2001. He is also an affiliated member of Columbia University’s Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy and History Department. He specializes in 19th and 20th century U.S. economic history, the political economy of contemporary U.S. criminal justice policy, and the history of economic thought. His current research focuses on the evolution of the U.S. banking-monetary system from the demise of the Second Bank of the United States to the founding of the Federal Reserve System. He teaches core courses in Barnard’s distinctive Political Economy track and joint Economic and Social History Program.